Homemade Wooden Lawn Windmills

Smaller versions of this wooden windmill add interest to your lawn or garden.

The idea to capture the wind to create energy is not new. Windmills date back to 7th century Persia, where such harnessed energy was used for grinding flour and pumping water from wells. The idea caught on and by the 12th century Europe had its own wooden windmills hard at work. Homemade wooden lawn windmills mimic the designs used before the steel bladed versions started dotting the American landscape in the late 1800s. Lawn windmills are smaller decorative versions of these historic structures.

Windmills – A Simple Description

Most windmills have some sort of base that supports the windmill tower. In the decorative lawn variety, this may be nothing more than an extension of the tower. That tower may be a simple pole or an elegantly crafted piece that mirrors a design of a full-sized model. The blades catch the wind and are designed to work like an airplane propeller. Flat blades would provide too much resistance, but ones set at an angle allow the air to flow around the blades, causing the spinning. In working windmills, the blades are connected to the tower using a nacelle, which has gears to help the spinning. The blades on the smaller ornamental windmills work just as well with a simple shaft.

Decorative Windmills

Decorative wooden windmills make your garden space more appealing to the eye. Models may come with blades that don’t move, but windmills that actually catch the wind and spin garner more interest. The Dutch variety has sweeping blades that are large, impressive and great wind catchers. Another option is a wooden recreation of an American design. It has eight blades and a tail that pivots the windmill into the wind. This is the perfect windmill for a small garden or lawn, because it stands on a simple pole and is quiet when it turns.

Size Matters

If you have a postage stamp-sized garden, then it makes sense to have your windmill to scale. Small recreations, particularly of the Dutch style wooden windmills, fit in nicely with a landscaped flower bed, or as a focal point in your front or back yard. For larger yards you want might a lawn windmill in the 4- to 5-foot range. A 12-foot windmill is most impressive, but you’d need an estate-sized yard and good separation from your neighbors. The taller the windmill, the bigger the blades and the more noise they make as they turn. Wooden lawn windmills may be stained, painted or left unfinished. The unfinished variety is suitable for all types of lawn and garden settings. As the wood weathers the color softens, blending in nicely with the surroundings.

Buy Ready Made or Create Your Own

The simple model wooden windmill with the tail is the easiest to make and can be done with a simple pattern. Others, like the Dutch model, are more intricate. You’ll need to make a pattern for the blades as well as one for the tower. Model plans are available, as are ready-made kits that just require assembly. The other option is to buy a hand crafted version that’s pretty much ready to set up in your lawn. Depending on the model you may have to attach the blades to the tower, but that’s usually an easy fix.

About the Author

Monica Wachman is a former editor and writer for FishersTravelSOS, EasyRez.com and Bonsai Ireland. She has an AA degree in travel from Career Com Technical and is an avid RV buff and gardener. In 2014, she published "Mouschie and the Big White Box" about an RV trip across North America.